News

STREET IMPROVEMENT: Shown here is construction being done on Tuesday, September 5, with the removal of old Belgium block curbing. Crews were setting formwork for pouring concrete footings in order to install new granite Belgium block curbing and rebuild catch basins on Cliffside Drive. The work was being done by crews of Stanziale Construction between the street intersections with Riker Hill Road and North Hillside Avenue as part of the Cliffside Drive street improvement project. Russell Jones Photo

ROAD WORK: Shown here on Monday, August 28, crews from Stanziale Construction were milling old asphalt pavement on Belmont Drive prior to the installation of a new asphalt top course of pavement. The work was being done between the street intersection with Berkeley Terrace and Taconic Road as part of the Township of Livingston Belmont Drive street improvement project. Below, On Thursday, August 31, a new asphalt top course of pavement was installed on Belmont Drive between the street intersections with South Livingston Avenue and Berkeley Terrace. Russ Jones Photos

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: Livingston Public Schools held its first day for students on Tuesday, September 5. Shown above, clockwise from top left: senior “chefs” are Matthew Gianduso, Duncan Phelps, Jordan Cagan and Jack Weiss; Jayden Eckstein prepares for his first day of fourth grade at Burnet Hill Elementary School; Sammi Steiner, Mia Sage, Delia Lederman, Daniella DiIanni, Sophia Mount, Emily Martin and Hadas Golan pose at LHS; and Jacob (fifth grade) and Sloane Ozarow (third grade) meet on the playground with Collins principal Michelle Cebula. LPS Photos

Several lawn signs for Livingston Public Schools Board of Education candidate Fang Gong were stolen late on Friday night, September 1, according to several reports taken by Livingston Police officers.

Officers took four separate reports for theft of lawn signs supporting Gong. These included two on Irving Avenue, one on Mt. Pleasant Parkway, and oneonSouthAshby Avenue.

The Livingston Planning Board, at its September 5 meeting, delayed a vote over 39 W. Northfield Associates, LLC’s application to construct a medical office building at that address. The property is the former site of the New York Sports Club.

Six variances were requested at the meeting, including a parking variance, where a minimum of 266 spaces are required, and 23 7 are proposed; a variance for the installation of a freestanding sign, which is not permitted by municipal code; a sign location anda sign height variance, to place signage on canopies rather than on the building facia; and a variance to have signage project further from the building than 15 inches, which is the maximum permitted; and a variance for the number of signs, where a total of three are permitted and five are proposed.

The annual September 11th Ceremony of Remembrance will be held on Monday, September 11. The ceremony will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Oval, in the September 11th Living Memorial Garden, and will be held, rain or shine.

The ceremony will honor the lives of seven Livingston residents who died during the September 11 terrorist attacks: LukeA. Dudek, Jeffrey Brian Gardner, Donald Thomas Jones II, Ming-Hao Liu, Joseph P. McDonald, John M. Pocher, and Kenneth Albert Zelman.

Parking will be available at St. Philomena Church, 386 South Livingston Avenue.

For more information, contact Corinne Judge at 973-535-7925, or go to the township website at www. livingstonnj .org/9-11 -Memorial.

GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL: Across the Livingston school district, custodians have been busy repairing and refreshing buildings, and teachers have been organizing and decorating their classrooms in anticipation of the first day of school on Tuesday, September 5. Shown above, Collins special education teacher Ashley Addison and Burnet Hill kindergarten teacher Jaime Gibbs work on their classrooms. At right, Burnet Hill custodian Ewan Douse makes sure the building is ready for students and staff. LPS Photos

The Livingston Public Schools Board of Education issued a press release stating that its members are meeting and consistently sharing information with the Township Council. These conversations have recently included the possible use of the Monmouth Court C ommunity Center as a full-time school.

The meetings, according to the release, demonstrate “the collective commitment to ensuring that Livingston Public Schools will continue to attract individuals and families who are eager to make Livingston their home and contribute to the community as a whole.”

“We should all be proud that Livingston remains such a desirable community, and we are all dedicated to working towards a common goal to make Livingston even better,” said superintendent of schools Matthew Block.